


The Height Between Us

by Louvain



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-16
Updated: 2016-05-16
Packaged: 2018-06-08 19:26:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,199
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6870424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Louvain/pseuds/Louvain
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"A somewhat older Alphinaud suddenly finds himself two feet taller than his female Au Ra companion."</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Height Between Us

**Author's Note:**

> Done for a kink meme prompt.
> 
> For the sake of clarification, Alphinaud shall be twenty in this fic. I'm really not sure when the elezen growth spurt hits or how it would work, exactly, so I took my best stab at it. I hope the requesting anon sees this and enjoys.
> 
> Edit: I was just informed that this was screened on the kink meme I filled this for, because it alluded to a romantic relationship between a character that is canonically 16 (18, if you're in the expansion) and an "adult". Regardless, I am deciding to keep it up because I liked the prompt idea and hope that others can find enjoyment in the fic.

Alphinaud had not intended to stay so long from Eorzea. In his quest to learn more about the Ascians he had volunteered to return to Sharlayan and obtain texts concerning the Voidsent race in order to further their battle against them.

He found his usual _foot-in-door_ policy did not work well in Sharlayan – as did much else, but he had been prepared to deal with them and brought back a wealth of books from their forgotten library (with permission from Matoya) to trade with them. It was a difficult deal to broker, as they were much more eager to take than they were to give but he had finally managed to wrest ownership of the tomes he desired. Without the assistance of Rielle and Matoya, he wasn’t even sure if he would have accomplished anything at all.

 _Home._ Had he had been told by anyone he would look forward to returning to Eorzea when he had first set out at the tender age of sixteen he would have laughed in their face and bid them a fast farewell. But now he was particularly excited as the airship bearing him home began its preparations to dock into Ishgard.

To his pleasant surprise the winds were particularly generous on the day of his voyage home and he was able to arrive an hour earlier than intended. The only downside was that he found not a single soul from his expected waiting party to be there – save one.

“You’re early.” He beamed at Yomi’s familiar face, having not expected the presence of the Warrior of Light to be awaiting him already.

“So are you.” She stood up to greet him and then stopped, wrinkling her nose as he stepped off the airship. “ _Oh._ ”

“Is something the matter?” He faltered, not sure what to make of her reaction.

“You’re very um….” She gestured at him – all of him - and he became quite aware of just how _much_ shorter she suddenly was – or rather, how much taller he was than he had been before he left. He stopped, feeling awkward as he looked down at her and trying not to come off as imposing.

“Tall?” He offered, and she nodded. He had, quite honestly, failed to notice it too much during his trip, other than that he didn’t have to crane his neck so much to talk to the others and the fact that he had to replace his entire wardrobe with clothes better suited to fitting his new height. He had ached sometimes but not thought too much into it.

Despite his clarification her nose remained wrinkled, hinting that there was still something amiss.

“Is it the clothes?” He fidgeted uncomfortably and tugged on his overcoat, suddenly self-conscious. He didn’t think it looked _that_ bad on him. He knew it wasn’t as appealing as his old, favored blue coat but he had taken care to pick out something that was decent. Admittedly the styles in Sharlayan were quite limited and he now appeared more akin to one of their philosophers, but it was functional.

Yomi’s face cleared as she laughed, relaxing. “No, no, it’s not that at all. You might offend Tataru with that outfit though.”

“I will have to make amends to her right away.” He smiled warmly in response, glad to have resolved whatever was bothering her. He gestured to the bench and she nodded, both of them taking a seat to await the arrival of the others.

“So um….how was home?” She asked, preventing an awkward silence from settling in.

“Mother was glad to see me, so much so that even my best diplomatic skills were barely able to convince her to let me leave again.”

“She must love you very much.”

“Very. It rivals her distaste of Eorzea.”

Yomi blinked, surprised. “I never knew your parents didn’t approve of you being here.”

Alphinaud shrugged. “They did not support the coming of my sister and I, but there was naught they could do to sway us. And though I care for them deeply also, I am also very glad I came to Eorzea when I did.”

“As am I.” She smiled again at him and he felt an inexplicable warmth bloom in his chest that he could not easily brush off.

 “And what disasters have you saved Eorzea from while I was gone?”

“Oh, nothing extravagant. I helped an uprising overthrow the Couerlclaw King, fended off a few unwanted suitors…”

“You were being courted?” He should not have been as perturbed as he was upon hearing the news.

“Sort of.” She blushed. “I wasn’t very interested in any of them so I didn’t accept.”

“Ah.” Of course. She had not taken a serious interest in a partner since that fateful day in the Vault in their pursuit of the Archbishop. Would that he could do something to convince her to look _elsewhere_ – but it felt like a selfish thing to ask of her.

“But you know, I’ve been thinking,” She said quickly, taking him off guard, “I wouldn’t be against it if someone – the _right_ someone - came along.”

“You were against it before?” He raised a skeptical eyebrow at her.

“Partially.” She confessed. “Sometimes it feels like I’d be betraying his memory if I did but…but it’s been a long time now, and I don’t think he’d be very happy to know that I was passing people on by because I was still hung up over him. I’ve spent a very long time not letting myself love others like I did before because of it.”

“Nobody’s ever thought less of you for it.” Alphinaud said gently, starting to reach for her hand to comfort her before catching himself. He flushed, returning his hands to his lap before she could notice. “So you have someone else in mind already? Or perhaps you’re just waiting to meet them still?

To his bafflement she became shy, fidgeting uncomfortably and avoiding meeting his gaze too directly. “Um…S-say, did you bring back souvenirs?”

“Uh?” Thrown off by the sudden topic change he struggled to reply, half-tempted to press the current issue but deciding against it. “Well, I’ve brought back a number of tomes from the Sharlayan library.”

“That’s it? You went to a far off country and you only brought back books?” She was laughing again, quickly forgetting her previous discomfort.

“They are not simply any tomes-“ and so it went, the two prattling back and forth with such ease it was like he’d never been gone.

-

A curious gaggle of folks lurked just on the edge of the landing, not completely out of sight of the conversing two in front of the airship but far enough that they were not immediately being noticed.

“He’s as tactful as ever.” That was Thancred, having sidled back after eavesdropping on the pair’s conversation.

“Do you think he’ll ever realize it or is one of us going to have to have to tell him?”

“My brother could sooner learn to read the texts of Zodiark than figure out her feelings.” Alisaie rolled her eyes. “Give him a bit of time and if he’s no closer I’ll consider allowing him to be given a few hints.”


End file.
